Shitza: Okay, the headline sucks, but it was the best I could do, for the moment. I just thought Yubaba has been awfully quiet lately, hasn't she? And I hope everyone has had a good New Year. You know, you guys have beaten Tale of the Prophecy in Reviews per chapter. I never thought that was possible, but I had six reviews for this, and so far two for the other one. Hmm, maybe I should change the update plans again…
Oh well, on to the story…
Shitza
Chapter 23 Yubaba finds them
For what had been plenty of rather silent months, just searching was now about to end. In the shadows of their mind, Her strength grew and even though all the phoenixes powers, none of them, except for Destiny, would have to know what would happen. Truth to be told, they barely knew what hit themselves.
Chihiro and Kohaku returned to the others, who had been extremely worried, it even turned out that Lin had been crying, as they hadn't been able to find them. But once they returned they tried to cheer her up, which took a while since she started crying over having them back. Indeed, Deko gave the two of them a hug powerful enough to rip a goat in half. Chihiro wondered when he finally let go, how many of her ribs that had been cracked.
Fortunately they hadn't, yet she could feel some bruises on her arm and on other parts of her body. But she tried to ignore that, because good news had come.
After their visit in the Realm of Life, it turned out that the Phoenix of Life had in the deepest secret returned very much of the lost strength of Haku. Indeed he looked healthier then ever, he even had strength to transform into the river spirit he was. Chihiro laughed at joy and ran over to him, kissing his fury face.
Yet happiness was about to disappear, by that small, unnoticed dot in the sky. A dot, which happened to be a raven, one of Yubaba's spies.
Haku returned to his human form, feeling happier then ever. But then… when you think nothing could ruin the perfect moment. A bolt of lightning struck exactly between them, throwing them into different directions.
Over their heads they saw clouds rumble, the sky darken. Herds of ravens appear, like a black cloud moving towards the wind. Chihiro tried to run over to Haku, but another bolt of lightning stopped her from getting near him. It stopped all of them from getting close to him.
"Yubaba, what do you want with me? Why do you so desperately want my powers?" Haku asked.
On one of the clouds, or so it looked like, Yubaba sat, with some kind of fury ball in her lap. She laughed.
"Sometimes you are so stupid Haku I really can't believe how you were made a spirit over a river. I am most surprised you don't remember anymore, especially now you have your full name back, thanks to that thing!" Yubaba said pointing a finger at Chihiro.
"What do you mean?"
"Please boy, no spirit arrives here after having been a human. We all have been mortals who have served our masters and then having been born again after our deaths. Yes, so says the grand book of magic." She said holding a black book in her hand. It was small, only big enough to fit her palm. Yet Chihiro couldn't take her eyes of it, because somehow she felt as if it was oozing of darkness.
The knowledge of once having been human burned in Haku's mind and for many minutes he didn't notice the others struggle as a dark cloud of shadow descended and threatened of slowly killing them, taking their breathes of life away. Almost too late he saw it, but then…
From the spot they stood by a light opened, and the Phoenix of Life emerged, after so many years down in her own little world. She was filled with rage, filled with disgust seeing what was happening.
Haku looked at Yubaba, who was unusually pale. The sorceress fled, not wanting to get touched by her, because being touched by the phoenix, in her state of rage, was like welcoming the long sleep, which soon would reach anyone. The darkness disappeared, but they knew, their next road would be harder then ever, now that Yubaba knew where they were hidden. Slowly the others regained their health, enough to see two other shapes in the sky.
"You are too slow!" The Phoenix of Life said and with a flash of Light she returned to her own world. Over their head they saw the two Phoenixes, one being Ice, one being Fire. They really wanted to bring them down, but in the speed of light the two of them disappeared.
"That was a sight!" Xing said.
"Yes, and one day we will catch those two." Haku said.
The group left the valley, which didn't seem as scary as it had been when they entered. Indeed the trees bowed for them and didn't stop them. Either they respected them, or they were relieved they were leaving. They never found out what.
Xing led them towards a passage, which he told them was the nearest way towards the sea, and the cave they were settled to reach. But none of them didn't come far, until the road was blocked and what had been a passage became a crack in the mountain as the two ways out were blocked. Chihiro hurried closer to Haku, the two of them trying to keep each other as safe as they could, while Xing, Deko and Lin prepared for another fight, against… something they didn't know about.
Just then, a large net fell over them, large enough to trap them and the Dinkes. Helplessly they were wheeled upwards, in some odd kind of machinery. Chihiro prayed, this wasn't something more they would have to live through.
To Reviewers: Thanks for all the wonderful reviews, I am so happy for all of them!!!
Strom Maker: Thanks, I hope you liked this too, all though I have a guess it was kind of fast and confusing this time.
Winter –iel –o burzum: Thanks, hope you liked the update.
big book worm: Not to worry, I am not stressed out, currently everything is kind of calm around. And this chapter wasn't very emotional, but I hope you liked it anyway.
Ps: Juggling around with all these stories, it is not easy as you said, it takes me a while before I can settle myself into the story and remember all the details I was supposed to add. But I fortunately am good at putting things apart, like for instance stories and I have rarely, or probably never, been twisting a story with another one, unless it's of the same category.
YoukoHieiLegolasGirl: I am sorry this update took a while, but it always does when you have so many stories to write on. I hope you liked this chapter, and thanks for reviewing.
Dagorwen of Ithilien: Okay, I did try, and I have been writing non-stop this last couple of hours, so I hope you liked it. Not so sure of what I should say about this chapter, but anyway… thanks for reviewing.
To Reviewers in any previous chapter
WaterSpirit1: Thanks, and I hope by the time you have reached here that you liked the story. Thanks for reviewing.
End Notes: Okay, I am off. Through this I managed to get a headache, which has its reason, not because of writing though. I am off to lie down a bit, and I hope you liked this chapter, but please forgive me for any kind of confusing things and lack of emotional effects in this. Next time there will be more, and next time I will probably not have a headache while writing. Yet when you have the ideas you can't let them go.
See you all, hope you liked this…
Shitza